Home Canning Safety Tips
Late summer is canning season. If your garden has been thriving, you’re probably thinking about canning some of your favorite vegetables to enjoy later this year in the cold winter months. But to keep your food safe, you’ll need to know some facts about safely preserving your vegetables. All foods should be canned using a boiling water bath canner or a pressure canner. Low acid foods, like green beans, that are not canned properly can present a risk for botulism. Green beans must be canned at a temperature of 240 degrees F, which can only be achieved using a pressure canner.
Botulism is a rare but potentially deadly illness caused by a poison most commonly produced by a germ called Clostridium botulinum. The germ is found in soil and elsewhere and can survive, grow and produce a toxin in certain conditions, such as when food is improperly canned or held at too low of temperatures. The toxin can affect your nerves, paralyze you, and even cause death.
DO NOT eat any canned foods whether home-canned or store bought if:
- The container is leaking, bulging or swollen
- The container looks damaged, cracked or abnormal
- The container spurts liquid or foam when opened
- The food is discolored, moldy or smells bad
If the container or the food inside has any signs of contamination, throw it out! For more information, see the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.